Bendakaya (Okra) Pachadi

March 18, 2019

I know! How can you make a chutney out of Okra when they are so slimy? Well I questioned my mother in law the same when she first made this pachadi the first time I visited their home after marriage without VJ. He doesn’t tell me much about his mom’s food, but I poke and prod my mother in law when I’m visiting them. The best fried food is made by my mother in law. My mom cannot make fried food so good (Sorry amma) that I usually ask for double servings of the fried food that I don’t usually eat. VJ and Arlo are big fans of fried food, but I don’t usually make it at home. When I do make the happiness in their faces is evident. When VJ is home my mother in law showers him in fried food, but when I’m there she makes my favorite pachadi’s.

My mother in law tells me about the weirdest pachadi’s that I have never heard of. At least my mom never made them. When she first told me about bendakaya pachadi I was a little shocked and was reluctant to eat. But when I ate it, I was pleasantly surprised. It was one of the best instant pachadi’s I have eaten. It’s quite easy to make, but requires a little patience because of the slime. It also involves a lot of skill, which I lack when it comes to making this pachadi. When eaten with hot rice and ghee, the taste is surprisingly sweet. I have never had this pachadi before and only eat it when I’m visiting at my in-laws. I’m blessed to be a part of such a family, who not only appreciate my food but also encourage my passion. Cannot thank my mother in law enough for her patience while I clicked pictures for each and every step.

Ingredients

Bendakaya (Okra) – 250 grams (Approximately half a pound)

Green Chilies – 10

Oil – 4 tablespoons

Tamarind – a small piece soaked (size of a marble)

Turmeric – 1/4 teaspoon

Salt – As needed

For Tadka

Oil – 2 tablespoons

Urad Dal – 1 tablespoon

Cumin – 1 teaspoon

Mustard Seeds – 1 teaspoon

Asafoetida – 1/4 teaspoon

Dried Red Chilies – 2

Curry leaves – 4 (optional)

How to Make

Step 1: Wash bendakaya and make sure they are dried before chopping them into long pieces.

Chop into long pieces

Okra with Green chilies

Step 2: In a pan once hot add oil and the green chilies and chopped bendakaya.

Bendakaya and Green Chilies in Oil

Fry them

Step 3: Remove the green chilies mid-way when they turn tender and before they turn black. Add the green chilies in a jar.

Remove green chilies one by one

Add them in a food processor jar

Step 4: Continue frying the bendakaya, add some turmeric and cook until they are tender. Keep them aside to cool down.

Add Turmeric

Keep frying until tender

Step 5: To the green chilies, add salt and the soaked tamarind and make a rough paste.

Add salt

And tamarind

Step 6: Once the bendakaya pieces have cooled down add them to the jar and give it a very quick pulse. Do not make it into a fine paste. If you do the whole things turns slimy. Give it one or two quick pulses and keep it aside in a bowl.

Green chilies and tamarind rough paste

Add okra to the paste

Step 7: In a small pan, add oil, once hot add urad dal. As they start to change color, add in mustard seeds, then asafoetida. As the mustard seeds splutter add cumin, dried red chilies and curry leaves. Pour it over the pachadi and give it a nice mix.

Wash bendakaya and make sure they are dried before chopping them into long pieces.

In a pan once hot add oil and the green chilies and chopped bendakaya.

Remove the green chilies mid-way when they turn tender and before they turn black. Add the green chilies in a jar.

Continue frying the bendakaya, add some turmeric and cook until they are tender. Keep them aside to cool down.

To the green chilies, add salt and the soaked tamarind and make a rough paste.

Once the bendakaya pieces have cooled down add them to the jar and give it a very quick pulse. Do not make it into a fine paste. If you do the whole things turns slimy. Give it one or two quick pulses and keep it aside in a bowl.

In a small pan, add oil, once hot add urad dal. As they start to change color, add in mustard seeds, then asafoetida. As the mustard seeds splutter add cumin, dried red chilies and curry leaves. Pour it over the pachadi and give it a nice mix.

Serve it with steaming hot rice and dollops of ghee.

Recipe Notes

Tips:

My mother in law used groundnut oil. You can use regular oil or even gingelly oil for making this chutney.

This recipe called for an awful lot of oil to prevent the okra from becoming slimy.

Do not chop the bendakaya into smaller pieces or the whole thing will become a paste

Do not give make it into a paste, make sure you only give it a quick pulse.

You can skip the tadka at the end and eat it as it is.

It lasts for approximately 4 or 5 days in the fridge and one day outside.